Brunner, John. Shockwave Rider. NY: Del Rey, 1978 (originally published in 1975 by Harper & Row). 288pp. $5.99 (paper). 74-23861. ISBN 0-345-32431-5. C.I.P.
Many hypotheses have been used to explain increases in stress in our society, but John Brunner suggests a new approach in Shockwave Rider. This short but incisive (and exciting!) novel describes how discriminatory access to computer-stored information is the basis of many of our societal and individual ills. Published in 1975, relatively early in the days of our information society, Shockwave Rider elegantly describes a society in which a glut of personal information is available to "approved" agencies—information so detailed that the individual's privacy is totally abolished. It is left to one man with special intellectual skills to move faster than the wave, which he does by constantly changing his identity. Sandy Locke makes frequent use of his skill at reprogramming top-secret computers on the fly to walk into a phone booth as one person and walk out as someone else entirely. The Powers That Be cannot tolerate such a maverick and move to capture Locke and end his spree, lest he teach his skills to others. Along the way, we meet an endearing group of dropouts who live in Precipice, a paid-avoidance area that is off the global data net, yet provide a service basic to society. With place names such as Drunkard's Walk, Root Mean Square, and Mean Free Path, Precipice provides the fulcrum for the lever Locke will use to move the world. The book is lively and convoluted, with rampant shifts in time and perspective. But the techniques are used to excellent effect as we ride along with Sandy Locke, staying one step ahead of the shockwave.—Mitchell K. Hobish, consulting synthesist, Baltimore, MD
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